Bold design, irony, marriage of materials and at the core of it all – authenticity, they let us in on the fashion house’s creative sensibility…

The Bulgari booth at Baselworld 2015 is abuzz with conversations, flutes of champagne or cups with a caffeine kick (depending on your preference) and alive with sparkle and pizzazz. The spectacular neckpiece from the Diva collection that heralds you into the boudoir of timelessness, the displays of watches that suggest tradition, technique, innovation and that sure-fire bold touch which is all-Italian. The Octo Finissimo with its size-zero figure to the Serpenti with emerald eyes that conceals secrets and time. It is no wonder Elizabeth Taylor’s personal collection of Bulgari jewels rocked the screen in Cleopatra.

The Bulgari hospitality is warm, and the passion of the makers floods through with the top notes of its designs. As Fabrizio Buonamassa, the director of the Bulgari Watches Design Center (who moved from Fiat to Bulgari following his love for watches) says, “Bulgari’s style is pure in terms of shape and sometimes opulent in terms of attention to detail.”

We notice how the brand — despite possibly attempting to rein in their desire to build a wide range of pieces — has enough to keep the most diverse customer satisfied. Is it any wonder that they have the pride of place at Baselworld — the moment you enter the fair, on your left is the sprawling ‘serpentine’ domain. How do they maintain a sense of aesthetic continuance through varied complications and bejewelled designs? Buonamassa explains: “Bulgari is a world of science and inspirations. You need to find the right language for the right products or you create strange objects! Women are all about emotions, and it is about finding the right shape and proportion while being consistent with the Bulgari values and rules. With men you are looking for performance, movement, engine, finishing…technical elements.”

While we may not be certain we want to be pigeonholed into these categories — the Saphir Ultranero and the Diagono Magnesium, for instance, could be as fascinating to us as the Diva collection or the Giardini Nocturna — it would make sense for the design team to focus on what is a large target audience for their aesthetic sensibility and happy marriage of materials. Buonamassa agrees — pointing to a strong trend of ladies’ complication watches being merged with jewellery. “Bulgari is a part of the Italian design culture. Italian design is unique because it is not merely ‘form follow function’. It is about the ‘ironic’ — it plays with colours and materials in a different way, to give the object a second life. Only Bulgari is able to use tubogas for a watch and make this iconic in the luxury market. We play with constrains and often these very constrains become the turning point of the project and drive the aesthetics.”

And how do you keep it relevant? “I manage the science of the company and imagine how I can transform this science into contemporary products and not just copy-paste from the archives. My approach is contemporary with respect for the roots and the evolution of the science.”

The gregarious Guido Terreni, managing director of Bulgari Horlogerie, drives home the fact that Bulgari, as a brand, is built on authenticity. “It’s about being true to your brand and your client. You can’t play around with your personality, and that’s exactly the same with a brand. The watches that are successful are successful for decades. Too much new stuff leads to confusion.”

Terreni warms to the topic as he talks passionately about the various hallmarks of the Bulgari timepieces. “Serpenti is in the DNA of the brand since the past 70 years. Bulgari Bulgari, Diva, Lvcea are….” Iconic? “Iconic is an abused word. Everything is iconic in every brand. But Serpenti is truly iconic. When you are authentic and true to yourself, you are credible. And to be credible in luxury, you have to be credible in terms of style and craftsmanship, both. That’s why we have developed the know-how internally to address the competence of watchmaking. After all, the ladies are buying competence!”

With a diverse portfolio of luxury products, Bulgari has still made a mark with their watches, particularly their latest edition — the distinctive ‘vault-like’ smart watch (which moves beyond calculating calories burnt to storing valuable data). Terreni believes it’s a part of the core differentiation of the brand. “We have the technique at the service of the aesthetic and vice-versa. We are the only brand that thinks about technique and design simultaneously, we are not selling to watch freaks; we are selling to people who know what luxury is about and can recognise the authenticity of an idea and the craftsmanship in the watch. I love the idea generation, to see the design grow, to see the prototype become true…but this would be nothing if I don’t receive an emotion in return. Your emotion is the true reward of all this work. I don’t look for ‘I like’, or ‘I don’t like’; I look for ‘Wow’.”

The grandson of the late Raymond Weil, Elie Bernheim joined the company in 2004 and was appointed CEO last year. Here’s a Q&A with the dashing CEO:

1. The brand has a strong link with the world of music. How did this come to be?
It is true, you are absolutely right, my late grandfather Mr. Raymond Weil had a infinite passion for music, so has my father Olivier Bernheim. My mother is a professional pianist, and I have been playing the cello and piano from a very early age. You can then easily understand how much music is part of our family story, and naturally splits into our Brand DNA. Since three years now, we have developed the concept of music marketing; hence trying every year to establish qualitative musical collaborations such as the examples you have seen this year in our novelties: the Nabucco timepiece inspired by Gibson, Sinatra’s 100 years of birth commemorative maestro timepiece or even our brand new complication: the Nabucco Cello tourbillon.

2. What is your opinion on ‘smart’ watches?
It is always wise to remain informed, updated and sensitive to new developments and innovations – but the tendency this year for Raymond Weil is to point on our watchmaking know-how and propose creative yet audacious timepieces that bear musical features.

3. Which current trend in horology is the most path-breaking?
It is very hard to say, but the sure thing is, if a watch brand remains faithful to its values and provides clients with an authentic, honest and a reasonably-priced collection it will definitely lead to a deserved recognition. I try every day to improve on the quality of the timepieces we propose to our clients. Taking care of the materials, the durability and the long-term readability of the timepiece: these are for me challenging objectives you can always improve on.

4. What do you think of the relevance of chronographs and tourbillon movements today for women?
My challenge this year in Basel was to present a watch that represents the best our actual inspiration — that is why I have encouraged my R&D staff to work on a very special project, this has lead to a superbly designed tourbillon timepiece, totally in line with our musical DNA. It is a gents’ watch, and I am convinced ladies will be sensitive to the approach as well. 45 to 50% of our collection is dedicated to women — we may integrate complications for ladies if it is of relevance for our product strategy — as we have already done in the past.

Walter von Kanel is lively, intelligent and with a sharp sense of humour. You can have an easy chat with him which will lead to wide-ranging topics and he will know how to drive facts home. Over his many decades with Longines, the president is sure of himself and the brand and where it is headed — number one in their price segment from it’s current number 4 standing. He shares his views on India below.

I’ve brought the brand (Longines) to Number 4 in this industry. When you are over a billion swiss francs, it means a lot of money…it’s too many rupees that I cannot count. We brought this company to a very strong position.

We have now very impressive distribution, according to the group governance where we respect all national laws. Your decision not to allow us to open our own shops for instance!

The Indian market is local and abroad the…? (NRIs) Yes, the NRIs! In India they drive you nuts with acronyms. It’s an Indian speciality.

With Brazil, India is the highest tax country…we respect it, because unlike Brazil, we don’t have to pay baksheesh.

Rolex is good at number 1. (Taps a bunch of numbers.) It’s impossible to be number 1. I want to be number 1 in my price segment — in this industry it’s difficult to do everything. The name of the game is the price segment. Many people are coming to this segment now, we welcome them.

In this industry you have macro tendency. There is an evolution and no revolution. If you are a genius and have the most brilliant idea, you can’t be a genius alone — this industry is not Apple or Google or Samsung. The cycle is longer.

I’m happy companies like Apple and Samsung are coming into the business. It is additional business for me. They change every few months. They will help us put a watch on the wrist of the younger generation. And one day this generation will be tired of these electronic watches and they will be looking at an analog watch. It is a status symbol.

You (India) are one of the most populated companies in the world. Being the number 1 or 2 populated country in the world, you are number 24 of the 30 countries buying from us. The barriers are so big, that they buy from abroad rather than locally. For instance, we can open a shop anywhere in China, we are not blocked by Titan!

The Indian consumer in our price segment knows what they want. I’ve been many times to your country — to the pink building in Delhi! The quota, the licence, the duty… And I learnt one thing that the man with the power is not the minister, it is the guy who works for him, the secretary sitting outside.

Indians have discount in their blood. You always bargain. Don’t you? (No.) Then you must be buying from a shop that doesn’t offer a discount!

India is a mature market. It was open to branded consumer goods much before China. Indians travel a lot abroad to cities where they may purchase these goods. But India itself as a market is not 100% open.

In India there is no smuggling, we tell them not to buy from bandits. In luxury shops, if one retailer is selling fakes, he is killed — by the brand and the industry. Your fellow citizens smell the fakes.

Your PM (Narendra Modi) says he is fighting against corruption. Give him a chance! In China they are very strict.

It’s nice to have Aishwarya Rai Bachchan (brand ambassador of Longines for 15 years), it’s nice to see her daughter, it’s nice to see her mom…. I was the guy who picked her, when I got a call saying it was time to negotiate with her.

TOP 6 TRENDS FROM BASELWORLD 2016

In the 99th year of Baselworld, we came away less impressed than last year, despite there being 4,400 media reps and 145,000 participants. It seems that the brands are making 2016 the year of caution, with limited releases, innovations and flamboyance. Maybe this will help them “wait and watch” (no pun intended) until the luxury world is ready to explore new frontiers. Louis Vuitton was missing from the fair, and while the usual suspects held fort and rallied, they lacked the lustre of the previous years. Nevertheless we bring to you some of the key trends and big launches of the year. Read more here.

When the team at work started talking about ‘automated luxury’ my thoughts ran to my fond-of-the-good-life cousin’s latest acquisition. The Jaguar XJ, a sleek beauty of a car, purrs and moves like a panther. It is a vehicle for people who don’t pride themselves on the obvious, and one that is as much the driver’s as it is the passenger’s. Much like the first class cabin of a premium airline, it is docked with all the features you can think of and some you may not. Four-zone climate control, individual television screens, soundproof against the noise on the street, desks to work on in the back, in-seat massage facility for each passenger, footrest and winged headrests, front and back touchscreen control panel to ‘manage’ your experience…the list of goodies that would be on any ambitious car owner’s bucket list is easily check-boxed here, as I discover while taking a casual turn in it.

While we speak of the current state of the country vis-a-vis places abroad, we turn on the television, which with some telepathic sense (really, this car can read minds and tune into conversations now!) starts up a live feed of Narendra Modi’s charismatic speech at Madison Square Garden. As the driver and the front-seat passenger share a TV panel (first world pain!) the car is tuned in to protect the security of its passengers while providing them a world of comfort. So, while the car is idle – read waiting at every corner either for a signal or for traffic – the driver is able to watch the screen. The moment the car springs to life to move on, the screen will perpetuate an automatic invisible block for the driver, so that he may be able to listen, but he cannot watch any more, while the passenger, of course may continue boob-tubing.

And while I watch, I set up the touchscreen to experience my individual massage that can be controlled for intensity and heat. And, of course, because we are in a tropical climate, it can also shoot out cool air to soothe our fragile skin that must have been tempered like fine chocolate in the few seconds that it took to hop from one perfectly air-conditioned space to another. Not to mention the cooling or warming of the steering wheel to adjust to the outside temperature.

In ensuring that all senses are engaged, it is wise to point out that this fabulous machine has all of 20 speakers and 1000+ watts of surround sound blasting power. You read that right, no less than 20 speakers. My dear cousin has found 16 and is still trying to track the remaining four down. The mysterious pursuits the car provides as a bonus are indeed remarkable. Every passenger may watch their own individual television screen while not disturbing the other, via wireless headphones. I’m quite diverted by the fact that the plush headphones are lovingly closeted in a soft cloth pouch much like you would your Bottega Veneta Knot.

I am still trying to think about where the remaining elusive speakers could be while I am being informed about cylinders and horsepower, which is just Greek to me. But I can say that it did a pretty smooth 200+ on Mumbai’s sea link, which you must admit is a feat. And that isn’t even while engaging the sports gear, which is just a stomach-clenching head rush. Even if our city roads provide a challenging environment for the wishful driver, this little vehicle makes it a ride so smooth, it could be an ad for Silk. All I’m left with is the sense of wonderment – in much the manner of people’s response to Apple products – if this one is this good, what’s the USP of the next version? In-built shower cubicles…or the ability to go on land, water and air?

What do staged photographs and manga comic strips have in common? Espace Louis Vuitton Venezia presents an exhibit of more than 30 sketches and 25 photographs in a curated exhibit, Sguardi Incrociati a Venezia, starting today. Take a look….

Venice by Mariano Fortuny (below)

Louis Vuitton Travel Book Venice 2014, Jiro Taniguchi (below)

When art, fashion, travel and photography come together, it is always promising – and this one is a cracker of a combination. Japanese Manga artist, Jirô Taniguchi’s new works come on display next to the late painter, set designer and photographer, Mariano Fortuny’s photographs; with the two offering striking views on Venice.

The exhibition Sguardi Incrociati a Venezia, curated by art historian and author Adrien Goetz, displays more than 30 sketches, made by Jirô Taniguchi with 25 photographs by Mariano Fortuny held in the reserve collection of the Palazzo Fortuny, together with films and books, after meticulous restoration work (funded by Louis Vuitton as part of its partnership with the Fondazione Musei Civici Venezia).

The exhibit also launches the Louis Vuitton Venice Travel Book, designed by Jirô Taniguchi. The Louis Vuitton Travel Book collection attempts to embark upon “real and virtual voyages, enriched by intellectual stimulation and poignant moments”, filled with illustrations by artists that describe their own personal journeys.

The Sguardi Incrociati a Venezia Exhibition begins today, June 6, 2014 and lasts until November 18, 2014 at Espace Louis Vuitton Venezia, Calle del Ridotto 1353, 30124 Venezia. There is no entry charge; timings are 10.00 am to 7.30 pm.

The 160-year-old brand, Louis Vuitton, allows you to customise their products in 3 different ways. Verve guides you through the process….

I was floored when I heard that a gentleman had a custom-created Louis Vuitton case made just so that he could carry his mother’s homemade apple pie around in his travels. How does one go about customising a Louis Vuitton product? There are three distinct ways in which you can do so:

1. Special Order

WHAT This is a special creation, made specifically for people who want a custom Louis Vuitton case to carry something special like a guitar or their mother’s homemade apple pie, a baby bottle holder or a hair dresser’s trunk, or the famous Baroda tea case. With a specific concept in mind, you can sit with a brand representative (expect four-five meetings) and arrive at a sketch of the product you would like created. It is most likely based on something you have seen. You can then select the leather or canvas and choose the inside lining. Certain styles are non-negotiable. What that means is that certain styles can only be customized within boundaries, for instance, the Monogram canvas with gold fittings is linked to natural leather handles.WHERE The order can be placed in any Louis Vuitton flagship store.HOW One craftsman in France works on this piece from start to finish, and it can take up to six to eight months to complete.

2. Made to Order

WHAT It is a selection of products out of the Louis Vuitton permanent collection which are available for order in a selection of predefined exterior materials and interior linings. Any available product can be customized to some extent within the listed options.WHERE The order can be placed in any Louis Vuitton store.HOW This would take 1-3 months to complete.

3. Personalisation

(a) Hot StampingWHAT You can get a personalised ‘stamp’ on luggage tags, bags and wallets (depending on the style and material), at the time of purchase.WHERE This can be done at the store levelPRICE There is no cost involved.

(b) Mon Monogram
WHAT You can create a personalised monogram within the Louis Vuitton template. There are options designed according to the style of the bag. This can be done with initials as well. They are generally vertical stripes of varying colours, taking off from how royal families have their own colour codes.WHERE This is done on a few predefinedproducts before purchase. You can use the computerised simulation app at a flagship store.HOW This takes six to eight weeks to get done and the colour won’t scrape off. The application will also give you the exact delivery date and time once you are done making your choice.PRICE There is an additional cost for this.

(c) Hand paintingWHAT You can get your bag hand painted.HOW This can be done at the time of, or even after purchase, though the latter depends on the condition of the canvas.PRICE There is no cost involved.